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Planning: Title For Magazine

Below is a shot of the mind map i created when deciding on a name for the title of my magazine. I based all the words around music. I finally decided on underground as i believe it resembles urban music therefore complimenting the new modern generation of rock music.

Click to enlarge

Planning: Moodboard

Below is a mood board, showing various pictures from various source's; This enables me to successfully convey what i want to show in my final products. I have grabbed these ideas from the different sources and attempted to bring them into one big collaboration so that they can all be shown in the final product.

Planning: Clothing & Props

I have told Jack to bring a set of skinny jeans as they are commonly used by rock artists, a tie, A short sleeved shirt, 2 different cardigans, dark glasses and plimsoles. When looking at famous celebrities, many of them wear dark glasses in order to cover up their face as they do not want the paparazzi seeing them or the flashes of the camera to blind them. However some celebrities do it, to make themselves 'cool'. Skinny jeans are commonly work by music stars and mostly one of the indie/rock genre therefore i believed it was appropriate to use them. The cardigans will be used to show the celebrities fashion sense, thus showing he cares about his appearance and style and also his variety as he will be wearing two different cardigans for the shoot's. I will be using a Shirt on the model as many stars wear them to make themselves look fashionable and more stylish on certain occasions for their reputation. A tie will enhance the more fashionable look of the model. Plimsoles will be used as they are smart yet casual therefore the star will look confident in his clothing. The scene with which the model will be passed out in the hot tub, i will get him to take his t-shirt off yet keep his jeans and plimsoles off as he will look eccentric, which rockstars are known for doing. I have also told him to bring smart clothing for the night out shoot, as i believe any artist would dress well for such an occasion therefore i have asked him to wear his skinny jeans along with a jumper.

(screenshots)

For props i already have an electric guitar and other props such as champagne and cigarettes for the actor, however although the cigarettes appear real they are actually fake therefore not causing harm to the model. The props will only be used in the hot tub scene as i believe that is when they will appear most effective, as most connotations will arise when the reader look's at this picture.

(Screenshots)

Planning: Locations

When assessing how to portray Jack as a rockstar, i chose to present him in a different way than just a normal photo shoot. I in-fact made it look like the magazine had exclusive access to him on a night out. I will use my garage where i could take shot's of Jack slouching on a chair making him appears as if he's very chilled out somewhere urban. I then am going to take photographs on a night out with the two girls we have asked, in a nightclub where it is dark and appears as if girl's are trying to chat up the star and get pictures with him. The last location used will be in my cousins hot tub. I have asked if i may use his hot tub in order to take pictures for my media and he gave me his permission. I wanted to take a picture of the star passed out in the hot tub after a long night out as i believe this truly represents the theme of 'Sex, Drugs Rock and Roll'.

Also for a picture that will represent a different article on the contents page, i will be taking the photos in the same garage that Jack used but i will be using a different backdrop, therefore making it appears if it's a completely different location.

Below are images of the three locations used.

(Add Screenshot)

Planning: Model

The main features star artist will be about an artist called 'The Slumdog'. However the model used for this this interview and pictures is Jack Baker. When reviewing who to use in my media product i decided to use Jack, as when looking through his various social networking profiles, i found that he is very photogenic and confident when in front of a camera. Also Jack is a big fan of all types of music but especially Indie and rock. When asking him if he would participate, he agreed and was excited about the process of creating a magazine around him. He also has given me useful feedback and advice on how to be more creative in my approach to photo shoots.

(Picture of Jack)

Magazine Research: Rock Magazine

NME Front Cover

Facts about NME: 

- Started in 1952

- In January - June 2010 the total circulation was around 33, 875

- Krissi Murison is the current editor

Conventions of NME magazine front cover:

- Title stands out as colour is bright compared to the background colour and is bold, so the audience is able to easily read the title, even at a glance. There are only two colours used but this is effective as it stand out from the picture and can be replicated as a theme throughout the magazine or main feature.

- Name of main article is in a big font, in a colour that also stands out (this immediately draws the audience to look at the article)

- Quotes from main articles (to intrigue the audience, about views and opinions of a music artist)

- Picture of a music artist on front page (The picture of the artist usually depicts the focused article in the issue)

- Cover stories in smaller font (Giving the audience a wider variety of reading)

- Barcode, with pricing

- Issue number

- Date of issue

- Exclusive, special offer or special edition title (Entices audience to buy the magazine as its a promotional tactic)

NME Contents Page

- Title of page "NME THIS WEEK" shows the current articles that will be included in this weeks issue, available for the audience to read.

- Different fonts and different colours showing different articles

- Subscription offer at bottom of page, therefore enticing the audience to regularly subscribe to the audience.

- Different headlines for different articles therefore categorising them, so its easier for the reader to find what they are looking for.

- Page numbers are listed beside the articles so the reader can skip straight to their favourite article or the article they most want to see.

- Date of issue is listed at the top to inform the reader of what issue they are reading.

- Another promotional attic used is the extra magazine included in the magazine which is the "no1 gig guide".

- A mini article is used in the centre which appears to talk about a music trip the editors of the magazine have been on to experience. A message from the editors is a common object used on contents pages.

NME Double Page Spread

- There is one main image on the page showing that the article is focused around this artist. However double page spreads vary on the amount of images they use. 

- The article usually starts off with a bigger font letter and then the rest of the text is reduced on one same size. This effect is used for style and presentation of the text, as seen above.

- A pull quote is sometimes used, from the article and displayed as a larger piece of text which usually is a quote that may leave the reader to wonder what it's about. Above a pull quote does not appear to be used however a song produced by this artist is incorporated into a larger font to fit in with the theme of the article. 

- The letter 'USA' are in the background clearly showing the reader that this article has got something to do with the artist and the United States of America. Also to accompany this she is sitting on an american flag which compliments the 'USA' letters. 

- The background is plain therefore the reader can directly focus on the article and the image of the artist.

Through conducting this research, i have found out many conventions used in the front cover, contents page and double page spread and found that by using these conventions, i can successfully create parts of magazine in a professional manner. It would be unwise to ignore these conventions as they have been used for years in the magazine industry and have been successful therefore i will be using them.

Planning: Taking Photos

On February 11th i have organised my friend Jack, to come round and take various shot's for my magazine. On February 12th i have organised two of my friends to help out in the photo shoot with Jack on a night out therefore making the interviewer look like he has followed the rock star around on a night out. The two girls used will be of great use as it shows how the 'rockstar' can attract a lot of women as is commonly thought or conventionally called 'Groupies'.

By using my nikon D60 SLR camera, the photos will be shot in  high quality and therefore i should be able to complete taking all of the photos in 3 days. On the third day of February 13th, i will be using the timer feature in order to take pictures of myself, so that i can used more than one different photo on the contents page. I will first set up the setting in my garage and then stand the camera on the tripod. This will allow for the camera to stand still and stable, so uneven photos are not taken.

Editing of photos

Planning: Reader Profile

Many organisations conduct in depth research into their readers of the magazine and who they are trying to attract. When doing this they try to look at their other interests therefore they can target the right type of reader. The interests will definitely include music tastes as a person interested in rock won't want to buy a pop magazine, they will want to invest in a magazine dedicated to the rock genre.

As my magazine is a rock magazine, using reader profiling will enable me to gain a much deeper insight on who will want to read the final products.

Sex: Female/Male
Age: 18-23
Occupation: Student at University
Computer Game Interests: Role Playing games
Music Interest: Rock, indie, punk, alternative
TV Show Interest: Kerrang, Q
Last film seen: Paranormal activity
Last concert seen: 30 seconds to mars

Below is a picture of the readers i'm attempting to attract.

Planning: Final Designs

Below are the improvements i have made to my original rough designs and the designs i will be using when creating my final product.

Front Cover

- I have made the masthead bigger, as i believe that this should be the most important item on the front cover, as common readers will instantly be able to recognise the magazine and new readers will be able to learn the name of it as it will appear clearly and stand out against it's background.

- The issue number location has moved from the right hand side to the left hand side just below the masthead, as i believe it is a better suited place for some more text.

- As well as the main article font size being increased, i have added an 'exclusive' box above the title, therefore showing the audience that they should buy this magazine as they wont get a better and more insightful interview on the artist than in this magazine. This is a common convention used in music magazines as it attracts more readers.

Contents Page

- I decided that it would be better to place the masthead in the conventional place as it look's more creative, as titles are usually placed at the top of the page, where they can stand out to the reader.

- Below the masthead, there is a smaller image along with some text, this is where the editors message will no be placed, as i believe it is a better and more organised location to have it. 

- Below the masthead i have now got two landscape images as i believe having both of them in the same place, the audience will be drawn to them so they can visually engage with the articles associated with them.

- Although i am still using the columns approach, the right hand side contains the smaller articles within the magazine and the categories they come under. The page number is also mentioned along side them so the reader can go straight to the page they want to read.

Double Page Spread

- Instead of having three images cluttering up one whole page i decided to split them up and using the remaining space with captions. This shows the timeline of the artists night out.

- On the right hand side of the spread, the masthead is located on the top of the page where it would be conventionally placed. This will be able to recognised as the title of the article and stand out to the audience.

- Below the masthead, is where the main article will be placed in the form of an interview. Giving the interview a large space to write in, is key as more information about what the artist has said can be recorded and then this interests the reader further.

After reviewing these designs i will now need to take photos, edit and than create my final product.

Planning: Rough Magazines

As i am a fan of the rock/indie genre, i have always found the different ways rock is presented such as using horrifying dark pictures or a picture that is comedic can enable the designer be very creative when designing a magazine. As i was most comfortable with the conventions of a rock magazine, i decided to create the three products around this genre. 

Magazine Cover

- Above is my rough design of the front cover. It shows a main image stretched across the whole page. the reason i chose this is i have found that many music magazines such as kerrang and Q use full bleed photographs. This gives it a stylish effect and can engage with a readers mind, even if they are standing from a distance.

- The masthead is stretched across the top, in the conventional place most titles are placed, along with a banner just above it advertising other articles within the magazine. It is placed at the top so then it does not draw attention from the main picture below and it also is placed there so that it is not attached to any articles but can be recognised as the creator of the magazine. The issue number is also placed just below the masthead, so that if the audience is a common collector of this magazine they will know what issue they are buying.

- On the left hand side of the page, this is where other articles will be advertised to the reader, so that they do not draw attention away from the main feature article but when the reader is reviewing the magazine in detail, he/she will be able to find out what else is inside.

- On the right hand side is a smaller image along with some text that will be further advertising items within the magazine. Although there is another, much smaller image placed on the main page, it hardly takes any attention away from the main picture and it is tiny compared to the main image.

- Where it says 'Main cover line' is where the main feature within the magazine will be placed. The size of the font and style of it has to be big in order to show that it's the main feature of the magazine and also to associate itself with the image.

- All magazines have barcodes in order for them to be sold. in the bottom left hand corner, i have placed a barcode along with the price just above it, as i believed this to be the most conventional and sophisticated place. It does not steal any attention away from any other object on the page and is out of the way.

Magazine Contents Page

- Above is my rough design of the contents page. As you can see on one side, there is a whole column filled up with two images, that will show important articles within the magazine. I believe this is a better method than using just text, as the reader is able to visually react quicker to images and therefore the articles through pictures. Using pictures on the contents page is commonly used. Alongside the images are captions where the images will be related to an article name and page number.

-  The masthead is placed on the top of the page, where it would conventionally be. As it will be at the top with the largest font, it will be recognisable by the reader and they will know they are on the contents page.

- Also on the right hand column the articles and page numbers will be displayed. They will be shown in a smaller font so they do not draw attention away from the images or the masthead. This is commonly used in music magazines.

- There is also a small images beside the masthead. This image will be used for a picture of the editor as this is a common convention within all magazines, as the editor addresses the reader.

Double Page Spread

- On the left hand column, three images will be displayed, based on the feature article. Using images is always used within feature articles, as it is more engaging with the audience and they like to view different photos of their favourite band or artists.

- The right hand column show's the masthead in the middle. Although this is not a conventional place for the masthead, i believe putting it here gives the magazine a sense of individualism and creativity. The masthead is also the biggest font on the double page spread, so the reader can instantly understand what feature there on and be able to relate the article to the front cover and contents page.

- Below and above the article are the article information, where the interview will be shown. As there will be a lot more interview information, more space will be needed, which as you can see has been provided above. 

Planning: Hardware

 A Tripod

By using a tripod i will be able to keep my filming stable and level therefore making a more professional looking trailer. The tripod has different levels of height that can be adjusted at all times enabling low angle and high angle shots.

Camera

The Nikon D60 is a very suitable piece of hardware as it is 10.2 megapixels and is therefore able to produce very high quality and detailed photos. It is also a very small and compact SLR camera, so it is easy to carry around and take photos at anytime. With it's small LCD monitor, you are also able to review the photos to make sure that you have the correct shot. Also as it uses digital technology, by using a USB cable, i am easily able to transfer the photos to my computer and they are ready for editing.
 

Evaluation Question 7: Looking Back At Your Preliminary Task (The School Magazine Task), What Do You Feel You Have Learnt In The Progression From It To Full Product?

Now looking back at my preliminary task, i look at is a very simplistic design compared to the final product as i used only a slight bit of text. However the preliminary task and magazine share the use of one main image for the front cover, which i still believe to be an effective design as full bleed photos look stylish.

I was able to research in depth for music magazine cover, therefore i was able to understand the conventions of a rock music magazine much more than the school magazine. Although i was able to review the different issues that St Edmunds has published over the years to gain an idea. I believe that both the preliminary and magazine share the same convention of one image that takes up a whole page but also has many connotations.

When first using photoshop in order to create the preliminary task, i found it easy to construct as using the software was simple and user friendly. I also used IPhoto in order to edit effects of the picture such as saturation, exposure, brightness and temperature. Like photoshop, IPhone uses a large graphical user interface therefore making it much easier to use for beginners. Although i found InDesign very useful, it's it didn't share the same user friendly interface as it photoshop counterpart. However over a month's worth of experimenting with the software, i grew to understand it and once i knew what could be done with it i believe i successfully knew how to create a double page spread.

Being able to use functions such as adding text, choosing styles of fonts and there size and being able to adjust image size was very useful as i could adjust the products to look as if it's a professionally produced magazine.

Below you are able to see the big difference between my preliminary task and front cover, therefore showing how my skills have developed over the course of the year. The magazine makes more use of different articles like a real music magazine would, the font stands out and is eye catching as well as the main article is able to be seen clearly.

(Add preliminary and magazine cover)

Evaluation Question 6: What Have You Learnt About Technologies From The Process of Constructing This Product ?

(SCREENSHOT)

Above is a photo showing the various technologies i used in order for me to produce my products. Below i have explained how each technology benefited me and what i learnt about them.

1. IMac: This is the computer that i used in order to create, edit and produce my trailer, magazine and poster. Through it's very user friendly interface, using the various pieces of software on it, i was able to edit my products efficiently and professionally. It worked smoothly with all digital technologies that were connected to it. Another reason why it was selected, is because it already contained many pieces of software in order to complete my task. Without having access to the many resources on the IMac such as the internet, research into magazines, posters and trailers could have not have been conducted nor could analysing another student's work in order for me to better my own. Also if the IMac was not available to me, i would not of been able to create the trailer, poster and magazine in the time frame that i was set. This piece of technology has given me the ability to create professional looking product's which otherwise could not of been produced to this high standard.

2. Nikon D60 SLR: Using the Nikon D60 digital camera was extremely useful when taking photos for the poster and magazine as after each shot i was able to review the photo i had taken using the LCD screen and decide whether it was worth keeping or not. This technology also incorporated a zoom feature, allowing me to take close up's or pictures from a distance which was used for effect purposes. Also as it was light and compact for the high quality shot's it was taking, it was highly portable and could be used in any environment. As it used digital technology there was no need to buy film rolls as each photo was stored on to a memory card were it could be deleted or stored as where on a film roll, once the picture is taken it cannot be deleted. Another important feature that i learned of when using the D60 was that it was compatible with every photo software i used on the IMac and transferred the photos without any problems of e.g. format.

3. Blogger: Blogger is the very software that i used to explain, display and document the progress of creating, editing and producing my products. To show the reader of mistakes made while editing or filming, blogger enabled me to upload images and scans of faults to give evidence to my explanations. Embedding other video clips of e.g. rough filming, teaser trailers or directing was a function available that seamlessly integrated the use of video clips on to the blog. When conducting research in to magazines, posters, trailers, genres etc, i was able to use the Link function which allows me to incorporate website links, so that the reader is also able to view the source of my research. If blogger wasn't available for my write up i would of used a word processing or a slideshow software, which would of been much more time consuming as repeatedly saving the writeup and producing print out's would of been inefficient. However Blogger includes an autosave function, which greatly improves the chance of retaining your work if it was lost or deleted. However the biggest opportunity it has given me, is the ability to publish my work to a wide audience of people as anyone can access it through the internet, and being able to review other people's work. Through this capability i was able to look at other blogs e.g. http://getaheadocrmedia.blogspot.com/ and find out how to further enhance my own, which has greatly benefited me.

4. Google: Google is a search engine, giving me access to a wide variety of resources all over the internet from all over the world. Researching review websites and sites such as www.youtube.com has given me a much deeper insight in how trailers, magazines and posters are developed, constructed and published. The search engine is very fast as it takes less then a second to come up with millions of results. Through searching for conventions of teaser trailers, film magazines, film posters or action-thrillers, i was able to learn about them and incorporate them into my own products. It gives you a better understanding of how these types of media are produced therefore you are able to create higher quality products 

5. Photoshop CS5: Photoshop is a specially developed software for editing pictures. As it was made available to me, i took full advantage of it so i could use it's various features to enhance my pictures. When wanting to cut an actor within the production out of a picture and place him on to a different background to improve the impact of the product. Without features such as the magic wand tool or text tool i would not of been able to produce a professional looking poster or magazine, therefore it was a crucial piece of technology.

6. Tripod: This tool is extremely useful when wanting stable shots of all angles. This piece of equipment reduces distorted recordings caused by shaky hands or vibrations therefore giving the recording or photo a clear and more focused look. It also enabled both the camera and camcorder to fit ideally on to it, therefore it did not fall off or become loose.

7. IPhoto: Also like photoshop, this software enabled me to use it's features in order to create a more professional picture by affecting aspects such as brightness, exposure, contrasts, saturation and temperatures of the picture. Also like photoshop i was able to crop photo's so that the picture had a more focused area. The reason i adjusted pictures with this software, is because of it's user friendly interface. As it was simplistic yet effective i found it ideal to edit the look's of the picture. However when wanting to accomplish more difficult task's such as background removal or adding of text in different fonts, photoshop was the more ideal choice. When a camera source was plugged into the computer, the IPhoto software immediately recognised it and automatically opened. Once opened is asked me whether i want to import all photo's to it's gallery or only photo's i select. This again shows how efficient and compatible digital technology is when it comes together.

The way in which all digital devices can connect to each other without any issues fascinates me as everything is so much more efficient. It has also never been as easy to load it on to the internet and publish your own media so that it can be shared with everyone. This is a great ability as more objectives can be reached more efficiently and in a smaller time scale.

Evaluation Question 5: How Did You Attract/Address Your Audience?

Above is kate, who is an avid music fan of many genres but rock/indie is one of her favourites. In this video she shares are comments on all three products produced and what she liked about them. This feedback show's how i have attracted my audience and addressed rock fan's in particular. 

When attracting a reader, i made it a main priority to make the front cover eye catching as this is what the audience will see first when deciding what magazine to choose when in a e.g. newsagents. Through the picture of a passed out rock star in a hot tub, and the use of bright colours that stand out against the picture, i believe i have successfully been able to create an eye catching magazine.

The contents page also uses the same theme of red and white text thus showing the relation between that and the front cover. I used two further images here, to show the variety in the magazine of different features, reassuring that the audience has made a good investment when buying this magazine. Also to give the reader a better navigation around the magazine, the page number of each article has been listed beside them.

Yet again the double page spread uses the same red and white theme, making it stand out and also using a different style font makes the whole article attractive and professional looking. The use of pictures and captions also intrigues the reader as it visually engages with them, therefore drawing there eyes to what's happening within the photographs.

When targeting rock fans, i believe i have successfully addressed them through the use of the main image on the front cover, as this clearly shows a rock and roll star with his guitar, a cigarette and alcohol showing the connotation accosiated with rock such as 'Sex, drugs, Rock n Roll'.

Evaluation Question 4: Who Would Be The Audience For Your Media Product?

When reviewing rock magazines, they seem open to any audience who is interested in rock music of all ages. Magazines such as NME and Kerrang share a similar target audience as they look as if they are targeting the new generation of rock fans. As where Q appears to target an audience of a more mature nature, as they often have features based on John Lennon of the Beatles and Madonna. Although they still use articles based on new generation of artist's, they often refer to an older generation of rock stars than any other magazine.

For my magazine however i will be sharing a similar audience to that of kerrang and NME as my magazine is based around a modern rockstar who is up and coming, therefore the older generation of rock music lovers, won't be as interested. My magazine will be targeting from the ages of 18 - 23, as they are mostly students at university who spend a lot of time going to gigs, and listening to music when studying.

Below is the information on target audience from NME which is very similar to the audience i am targeting.

(Joe get info from here http://www.nme.com/mediapack/)

Evaluation Question 3: What Kind of Media Institution Might Distribute Your Media Product and Why?

When researching publishing and distribution companies such as Bauer media and Future plc, they both had many music magazines. Bauer media appeared to have more well known music magazines such as Kerrang and Q.

However a very successful magazine brand in the UK is NME who are published by IPC media. As i researched NME magazines and used many of the conventions used by it, i found that an institution such as IPC media would be ideal when looking for a company to distribute 'UNDERGROUND'. However i also believe that it would be a suitable company to use as they only have one music magazine, therefore if they were to distribute 'UNDERGROUND' they would improve there competition with competitors such as Bauer media or Future Plc.

As NME is a well known magazine, showing customers that the same publisher, distributes 'UNDERGROUND' will bring loyal fans over from NME to read 'UNDERGROUND' as well, therefore improving the success of 'UNDERGROUND'.

Evaluation Question 2: How Does Your Media Product Represent Particular Social Groups?

As we can see above the comparison of the two pictures who show Keith Richards of the rolling stones passed out after perhaps partying like rockstars are known for. This image conveys a hardcore rock and roll artist, that will be of great entertainment to rock fans. I have used a similar image (also above) of a rockstar passed out in a jacuzzi with a cigarette, a guitar and alcohol, showing yet again the lifestyle of rock artists.

The way both rockstars are showing there top half's of there bodies, they both appear to not care where they have passed out and both seem to be wearing skinny jeans, shows the way i have replicated the hardcore rock style. In my picture i have however included an electric guitar, a pair of glasses, an alcoholic drink and a cigarette which i believe enhances the hardcore rock theme. Although the model in my picture has shorter hair, in modern times, hair style seem's to vary among different artist's thus still representing hardcode rock fans.

Through the image i have used on the front cover, i believe that i have successfully represented the dedicated rock fans, as this is the core and fundamental way rock and roll has to be, hence the commonly used phrased 'Sex, Drugs, Rock n Roll'. Conveying this to the audience entertains this particular social groups of hardcore rock fans, as it's the way they live their lifestyle, thus the social groups do the same.

Evaluation Question 1: In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop or Challenge Forms and Conventions of Real Media Products?

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Final Product: Magazine Double Page Spread

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Final Product: Magazine Contents Page

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Final Product: Magazine Front Cover

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Preliminary Task Finished

When creating the front cover of a school magazine, i instantly wanted to follow the typical conventions you would find within any other magazine such as putting various articles all over it. However when reviewing this idea i found that infect this wouldn't be suitable for a school magazine as it would look unprofessional and not elegant. In the end i decided that using a full bleed photo with some text informing the reader that it's a school magazine called the "Edmundian" was more suitable as it was simple yet professional, sophisticated and stylish. I thought about possibly adding another image into the picture in order to give a more professional look however, i believe that the chapel shows many connotations of the school as catholic teaching is known for it's moral values as well as it's valued education. Also the picture of the chapel used in the preliminary task shows the beautiful landscape and architecture of the school thus influencing students families or people looking at applying to St Edmunds on wanting to go there.

The college crest was placed on the magazine as i think it's suits the place where it is located on the front cover and as it is a unique crest created for St Edmunds College, it identifies with the audience that this is a item to do with St Edmunds college.
When reviewing the font style and colour used, i believe that i made a good decision as the dark font clearly stands out from the bright sky and also the style of the font is not hard to read therefore people of all ages will be able to read it, so there is a wider target audience. Even if people i not able to relate to the masthead of the magazine, the caption used just below it describes that this is the "Official St Edmunds Magazine".

When editing the picture i used a software called IPhoto. This software enabled me to change the temperature, exposure, saturation and brightness of the picture. Through this i was able to make the camera shot used more attractive to the reader. When needing to incorporate text and the St Edmunds crest i used a software called photoshop. This software had various tools such as crop, magic wand, lasso tool and text tool. When needing to enter text, i simply clicked on theta text tool and then dragged a box across the area i wanted to enter text in. From there i had to select the size, colour and style of the font that would be suitable for the magazine.
When inserting the crest into the front cover, i first had to use the background remover tool, to read the surrounding white background otherwise, when merging the crest on to the main photo, there would of been a white box covering part of the image therefore making it look unprofessional and untidy. Once i completed using the background eraser tool i dragged the crest over to the main image then placed it in a suitable place which was the top right corner. However when doing this i released that the crest was too small, so i used the image size adjustment therefore increasing it's size to make it more suitable for the magazine cover. The crest was very important as it is a unique representation of the whole school and therefore should clearly stand out. As it uses many colours the crest stand out very well against the bight sky background.

I am very pleased with how the preliminary task turned out, as by using a full bleed photo along with text that has clarity and incorporating the college crest into it, has produced a product of a refinement and  style. This experience has also let me use photoshop therefore improving my skills when designing a magazine which will help produce a better final product.

Feedback

Research: Audience Profiling

Research: Audience

Research: Distribution of Magazines And Publishers

Publishing is the production of material of various things such as information in the form of written text, which becomes available to the general public. The term usually refers to books, newspapers and magazines but due to the revolution of digital technology, the term has expanded in to a new market of media. The stages of publishing involve development, editing, graphic design, production, printing, marketing and distribution. Below are some images of how publishing has developed over the years.

 In order to fully analyse magazines, researching how they were distributed worldwide and looking at current publishers within the market was key to producing a rock magazine. By researching websites such as http://www.futureplc.com/, http://www.ukmagz.co.uk/ , http://www.musicmags.net/, http://www.bbcworldwide.com/bbc-magazines.aspx and http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/ .

Out of all these websites the ones that appeared most professional when producing music magazines were bauer media and future plc. Both these companies have a wide variety of magazines to do with various categorical markets such as gaming, technology and music.

Future PLC

Future PLC, was founded in 1985, and now is producing in countries such as the United Kingdom, Untied States and Australia and has over 180 publications. Well known magazines they publish in the United Kingdom are Total Film, Classic Rock and T3. Every month they sell around 3.2 million magazines. This shows the experience, professionalism and good reputation that they hold in the publishing market.

Bauer media 

As well as magazines they own other pieces of media such as radio's and television channels. Bauer media is Europe's largest privately owned publishing group. It publishes over 300 magazines in 15 different countries. The company was started in 1953. They own magazines such as FHM,  Closer, Grazia and Kerrang.

Through researching these publishing institutions, i have found that many of them have moved into the digital market. Technology such as television, radios and electronic magazines seem to be the main priority of these companies at the moment, however they all seem experienced as they have been around for years.

Preliminary Task: Editing

Below is a picture showing how i used photoshop to incorporate the crest on to the main image. Using photoshop allowed me to use it's tools in order to do accomplish this task.

Below is an initial design that i used, however i did not use it as the colours used looked child like and unprofessional, so it was not used.

In this second attempt at trying improve the design, i chugged the styles of the font, however the colour of the text did not compliment the photo therefore it was not used.

Below is a design that i was more satisfied with as the text looks more professionally selected as it is clear, simple yet elegant. However i now need to incorporate both this text and the crest into one picture therefore creating a final product.

This process of editing has given me great experience when creating a professional product, therefore i should be able to create an even better final products for my magazine cover, contents and double page spread.

Research: Analysing Another Students Music Magazine Project

Below is an analysis of another AS students magazine. This will help me gain a better insight when developing my final products.

Music Magazine Front Cover

Above is another students AS music magazine from a different centre. Below i will describe my opinion on it's strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths

1. The title of the magazine is 'Livewire' and is very clear as the font is bold and the colour makes it stand out against it's background, therefore readers can instantly recognise the title of the magazine.

2. The visual effect of the 'Wire' part of the title is very creative and works very well with the music magazine as it fit's in with the rock themed magazine. 

3. The 'Jetlag' appears to be the main article. This fonts style, colour and size stands out form the background with clarity so the reader can easily understand what the main article is and this may further attract the readers. 

4. The caption below the main article title, is intriguing and engages with the readers mind thus them wanting to further read into this article.

5. The "Brit Nominations" font compliments the rock genre, as the style could be described as creative and eccentric. 

6. The red, black and white colours for the fonts, suit the magazine very well as they are all easy to read, so a reader of many ages would be able to understand it.

7. The section of the guitar in the bottom right hand corner is an effective image as it conveys that this magazine is to do with music and preferably rock due to the extensive use of the electric guitar in rock music.

8. The picture of the speaker in the bottom left hand corner is easy to see as the red background is has along with the text "Must Have Gear", shows it is a cut off section of the magazine showing another important feature included within the magazine thus gaining more interest from readers.

9. The text on the right hand sign of the magazine showing articles contained within the magazine, are shown in a trendy font which shows the cool and modern approach to magazines. The mix of colours also produce a more productive approach as using the same colour would look too simplistic.

10. The main image of the three people, depicts a young generation of musical artists and is the most eye attracting object on the page, increasing the chances that it will catch the readers eye.

Weaknesses

1. Although the main image is effective, it shows no sign of a musical nature but one of fashion. To strengthen this, one of the people in the image could be holding an instrument or be standing a speaker box, showing their musical nature.

2. The "wire" part of the title is very creative as i have stated although it takes more than a glimpse to fully recognise that it is part of the title. If a reader was to quickly scan the front cover in e.g. a newsagents, i believe they would find it hard to figure out the name of the magazine.

3. The "For plugged in music loves" slogan, although it seems appropriate, it is a small font, which endangers it not being seen by the audience.

Contents Page

Strengths

1. The 'Contents' masthead is in the same format as the 'wire' part of the title on the main page, showing how they are relatable. 

2. There is an editors note on the top right, using an image of the editor and a message from her. This is a common technique used in music magazines as it engages with the reader directly from the editor. The background colour of black, enables the red and white font to stand out clearly, so it look's more stylish and it's easier to read. The signature used by the editor also gives the magazine a more personal feel. 

3. The use of images and the way they have been slightly rotated along with the page number on them, makes it easier for the reader to go directly to the page as instead of reading the user is able to visually engage with the picture.

4. The caption "Everything you need to know and where to find it", again shows the reader this is the directory where you can locate the articles that you want to read via page numbers. 

5. The way there is two different half's of the page, one with the brick background and one with the white background, shows a split but as the images overlap this split, it gives the content page a messy and unorganised fill which really compliments the rock theme.

6. A mini picture of the front page is included on the contents page showing how they are related to each other.

7. The page number stands out very well against the picture of the guitar pick and also it compliments the  rock theme yet again as it is a very stylish choice.

8. The red and black font stands out against the white background therefore the reader is able to locate the article they want to see more easily.

Weaknesses

1. Although there is the picture of the front cover on the contents page, relating them to each other, i do not feel that this this is necessary as the front cover is typically on the page before.

2. The guitar picture with the page number does not actually convey what type of article is may be, as where the other two images show two articles on two different bands.

Double Page Spread

Strengths

1. I am Immediately drawn to the title of the article 'JETLAG' which is the same font and colour as it was on the front page therefore being able to relate the two. It also stretches from the white to black background, showing how well it can stand out in both.

2. It appears the two pages are divided in to four segments. The far left and far right of the two pages, share symmetry as they hold the same fonts and the same content.

3. For the page numbers, you are able to relate the style to the contents page as the guitar pick is again used in the background of the page number complimenting the rock theme.

4. The images used on the page are again rotated and left on alternate angles, giving it an unorganised and an untidy feel therefore complimenting the rock genre.

5. A pull quote is used when it says "Hayley waxed his eyebrows". This entices the audience to read on in the article as they are excited by this statement and want to find out what's it's about.
6. In the bottom right hand corner, there is a promotional tactic to briefly mention the bands new album. This brief mention help's the rock industry grow as people will buy more albums of this band.

Weaknesses

1. The font used in the interview, on behalf of the band, is not very clear. This is a problem as if readers are not able to read what it says then, the article is pretty much obsolete and therefore not worth buying. This will also damage the magazines reputation, which will lose them customers.

2. The font used in the interview process is not very large and therefore not easy to read.

After analysing this students work, i found it very useful as the weaknesses within the products can be avoided when creating my products. However there are many more strengths than weaknesses, and some of what has been produced when analysing this magazine has given me great ideas to incorporate into my magazine.

Planning: Software

When creating my project, digital technology will become key part of producing my products. Through using Adobe Photoshop and Indesign software, they will give me the ability to edit the photos so they look more professional thus creating a better product for the audience. This software has various features that let me edit a photo and create templates for magazine covers and posters. I chose Adobe Photoshop and Indesign as they were best suited to the task i needed to accomplish.

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is a well known piece of software the enables anyone to edit photos and make many adjustments. Photoshop has many tools that will enable me to enhance the photographs. These include:

- The Crop Tool - This enables me to cut out a selection of a picture and the remaining surrounding part of the picture will be deleted.

- The Lasso Tool - This will let me draw around a selected part of the picture very carefully, thus being able to cut out very fine parts of a picture. This may include cutting a character out of a photo so that he/she can be placed on too a different background.

- The Background Eraser Tool - This will enable me to erase the background of certain image that is not needed when putting it on to another image or template.

- Text Tool - This enables the user to enter text on to the image in a selected area of the users choice, and then they can select the style, colour and size of the fonts used.

Adobe Indesign 

Adobe Indesign has templates that can be used in order to create various items such as flyers, poster and double page spreads. When creating a double page spread with a lot of written content, Indesign is more suited to this task then photoshop as it uses the same word processing engine as many publishing softwares. It also has features which allow it to create magazines and poster for e.g. tablets such as the Ipad. As there has been such an increase of reading from these tablet devices, this function is very useful to many publishers.

IPhoto

IPhoto is a software used on macs that enables the user to load photos on to the software and edit various things. Although not suitable when creating a magazine cover, i used it to edit the exposure, saturation, temperature, brightness and other parts of the picture. This software is very user friendly and easy to use therefore i found it a suitable piece of software to use. It was also freely available to me making it a better option.